Apios americana – Groundnut

General Information: A perennial vine with attractive compound leaves, stunning flowers, running underground tubers, and occasionally 3-inch long pea-like pods. This plant has a long history of cultivation by Indigenous Peoples and later by the first colonists of North America. It has been said that if it weren’t for the Indigenous knowledge of this plant being shared with English settlers in Plymouth, not one settler would have survived the winter of 1620. The twining vines are commonly found along riverbanks, ponds, and lakes in Eastern North America where they are able to maintain competition with some of the most aggressive wetland plants. This feature can be used to the gardener’s advantage, creating a stunning wall of perennial greenery when given the opportunity to climb freely. Their pinkish-maroon flower clusters, which emerge from June-September, smell Earthy and sweet and are well-liked by pollinators. The Pea-like pods, which do not always occur (see Fun Facts), remain on the plant until around November. The fall foliage is a lovely bright yellow, fading to brown by winter. The entire aboveground portion of the plant dies back and disintegrates quickly, regenerating each year and offering 3-season appeal.

Edible Qualities: All parts of this plant are edible. The leaves can be cooked as a green. The flowers can be used as a show-stopping garnish or added to salads. The immature pods can be cooked like Green Beans. The dried seeds can be prepared like dried Peas. Most commonly, however, the tubers are eaten. Groundnut tubers, which have the appearance of beads on a string, are a significant source of protein and carbohydrates. They are being studied as a perennial staple crop for industrial cultivation. The tubers carry the additional benefit of having an extremely long shelf-life. When kept in the proper conditions, Groundnut tubers can last in storage from late fall until mid spring in New England, a shelf-life of 5 months! Due to these incredible features, there is a widespread appreciation for this plant within the Permaculture movement, especially in the plant’s native range.

Cultivation Details: These plants are self-fertile. Only one is required to produce seeds (see Fun Facts). Groundnut tubers have a tendency to run. They should be planted in areas that are easily accessible, along with plants that will not fuss about some root disturbance. As legumes, these plants fix their own nitrogen, which enables them to fertilize surrounding plants. Their somewhat aggressive nature to twine around anything close by makes them unsuitable for planting around tender perennials or annuals, though. Consider planting Groundnut along fences, pergolas, archways, trellises, or in companionship with Bamboo or perennial shrubs. In the Southeastern US, these plants can be found growing naturally in stands of Rivercane (Arundinaria gigantea) and Switchcane (Arundinaria tecta). While they are naturally found in moist areas, they often succeed in typical garden soils.

Growing Requirements: Plant in full sun to dappled sun. Prefers sandy or loamy soils; intolerant of heavy clay soils. Prefers wet soils. Tolerates average garden soils that remain sufficiently moist. Consider applying a deep layer of organic mulch to retain soil moisture. Suitable for very to mildly acidic, neutral, or mildly alkaline soils.

Fun Facts: This plant is an indicator to pinpoint the site of Indigenous settlements – many of the Groundnuts once planted there remain to this day. Indigenous Peoples also bred this plant for increased cold hardiness. There are two distinct genetic strains of the plant – diploid (2 copies of DNA), which will produce fruits, and triploid (3 copies of DNA), which are sterile. The triploid strains are much more cold tolerant than their diploid counterparts, which enabled this plant to be brought into cultivation in the northern areas of the continent. In general, most diploid strains are hardy only to about Zone 7, whereas the triploid strains are hardy to around Zone 4.